Power transmission control mechanism



April 6, 1938. P. L. TENNEY 2,115,089

POWER TRANSMISSION CONTROL MECHANISM Filed July 17, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l a j Rel/512's:

SECOND a I i": NEUTRAL /0/ MODIFIED/i161! K! l LOW gwuc/wbon PeM /L Qzzzzg) A ril 26, 1938. P. L. TENNEY 2,115,039

POWER TRANSMISSION CONTROL MECHANISM Filed July 17, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 REVERSE SECOND A/El/ TRAL SECOND NEUTRAL April 26, 1938. L. TENNEY 2,115,089

POWER TRANSMISSION CONTROL MECHANISM Filed July 1'7, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 EV R fRSE SECOND NEUTRA L LOW /'//6H 7 M00/F/ED LOW Patented Apr. 26, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE Perry L. Tenney, East'Lansing, Mich assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Micln, a corporation of Delaware Application July 17, 1936, Serial No. 91,073

lClaim.

tral position in the same way as if to shift to high,

the modified high being secured by raising a finger grip on the lever. If the added ratio is a modified low, the shift lever is moved in the direction of shift to conventional low, but here again the finger grip is raised to reach the sub-low position. In each case a suitable stop device is used to prevent accidental and unintended shift into the supplementary driving ratios.

Associated with the major object stated above are secondary objects such as simplicity in construction and economy in manufacture.

Other. objects and advantages will be understood from the following description.

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through one form of a four-speed transmission.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the shift lever positions.

Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 2 but on a larger scale and with parts in changed positions.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section, partly diagrammatic, of a second form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a detail of the shift lever and forks used in the arrangement of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a diagram of shift lever positions for this second embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section, partly diagrammatic, of a third embodiment.

Fig. 10 is a detail of the shift lever and forks used in this third form.

Fig. 11 is a diagram showing the shift lever positions used in this third form.

Fig. 12 is a view in longitudinal section of a fourth embodiment.

Fig. 13 is a detail of the shift lever and forks.

Fig.'14 is a diagram of the lever positions.

Fig. 15 is a view in side elevation of a further modification.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, a casing 2| houses the change speed gearing. This gearing includes an input shaft 23 and an output shaft 25. The input shaft carries a gear 21 in the casing adjacent the shaft bearing at 23 in the casing wall. The output shaft. extends through a bearing 3| at the rear of the casing and is in alignment with input 5 shaft 23. It extends to the end of the input shaft adjacent gear 21 and may be piloted therein if desired as is usual. Slldably splined on shaft 25 is a clutch sleeve 33 and slidably splined on sleeve 33 is gear 35.

10 A countershaft 31 is supported by end bearings 39 and 4|. Shaft 31 carries a gear 43 in constant mesh with gear 21. It has also a gear 45 and a gear 41. An additional gear 49 is also mounted on the countershaft.

15 A suitably journaled reverse idler shaft 51 has gears 53 and 55. q

Freely rotatable on shaft 25 are gears 51 and 59. The driven shaft and countershafts have additional bearing support between gears 51 and 59 and between gears 41 and 49, respectively. Also slidably splined on shaft 25 is a clutch 6|.

Sleeve 33 is provided with a collar 63 engaged by a fork 65 secured to a reciprocable rail 61. Gear 35 has a similar collar 69 toreceive a fork 1| carried by rail 13. A third rail 15 extends to the rear of the casing and carries a fork 11, the arms of which enter a collar in clutch 6|.

The operation to secure the several ratios may be briefly described. Gear trains 21-43, 41-51 and 49-59 are constantly rotating. So also is gear train 45-53. If rail 13 is reciprocated to slide fork 1| to bring gear 35 into mesh witl. gear 45 low speed results, the drive being through gear since is splined to sleeve 33 and because sleeve 331s splined to driven shaft 25. An opposite reciprocation of rail 13 from its neutral position bringsgear 35 into mesh with gear 55 to effect reserve driving. The effective gear trains are 21-43, 45-35 and 55-35. v

Second speed is obtained by reciprocating rail 61 toward the rear. In doing so fork 65 carries sleeve 33 rearwardly and its rear end teeth are engaged with teeth not shown on gear 51. These teeth are concealed by the synchronizing cone 19. This construction is well known and needs no illustration. Second speed drive is then operating through gear trains 21-43 and 41-51, gear 51 now being locked against rotation on shaft 25.

Conventional high or direct speed is obtained by reciprocating rail 61 toward the front so that the clutch teeth at the front end of sleeve 33 engage cooperating clutch teeth on the input shaft concealed by the synchronizing cone 8|. The input and output shafts are then rotating in unison.

"gage 95.

If the rails 31 and I3 be held in. their neutral positions and if rail I5 is reciprocated forwardly, its fork II will move clutch 3| forwardly so that its teeth lock with teeth on gear 59, the lastnamed teeth being concealed within the synchronizing cone 33. The output shaft is driven because clutch I is mounted non-rotatably on shaft 25 and the drive will be through gear trains 21-43 and 39-59. The gear sizes are such that shaft 25 rotates faster than input shaft 23.

In designing a change speed mechanism having this-modified high ratio, it is desirable that the movements of the operating lever for the low, second and high should be the same as the conventional movements for these ratios and that the movement for modified high be merely a similar movement in the same direction as that for high' speed, that this shift be normally locked out but available by the actuation of a conveniently located latch mechanism. To that end I have made the arrangement next described.

Three rails I5, 01, I3 are grouped preferably at one side of the housing and carry lugs for engagement with the actuating lever. Fork II for low and'reverse ratio is secured to rail I3 by screw 91 and carries a lug 95, the lug being bifurcated at 39 to receive the extreme end of operating lever 9|. Fork 65 is secured to rail 51 by fastening screw means 93 and its bifurcated lug is seen at 95. Fork 65 is for shifts to second and high. Rail I5 for modified high has a lug 91 secured by fastening means 99. Slidable on lever 9|" is a sleeve latch IOI- having a lug I03 adapted to engage either between the furcations of lug 95 or between the furcations of lug 91. When the sleeve isin its lower position its lug I03 mayen- When in its upper position it may engage 9'I. 0n the housing 2| just below the pivot pin I05 of lever. 9| is a cup I 01 engaged by an abutment I09 for a spring III, the spring engaging a lower abutment I I3 the latter contactingthe upper end of sleeve |0|.' The spring thus normally holds the sleeve in its lower position where it engages a stop Son the lever 9|. The casing has ascrew-threaded stop III to prevent the upward movement of the latch except when lug I03 is positioned to engage. mg 91. Alongside the shift lever 9| is secured a tubular casing |2I for a reciprocating rod I23. The latter is operably connected at itslower end to sleeve IM and its upper end to a finger grip I25 located below the knob I 21 of the lever. By this means the latch sleeve is moved up so that its lug I03 shaft. 'The shift lever 9| may be in the position shownv by Fig. 2 where spring III has pushed down the latch I 0|. If it be desired to start by operating in reverse, the knob end of lever 9| is moved transversely toward the operator-toward the left-to engage the end of the lever with rail I3 and then longitudinally forward whereby the fork 'II is moved backward and gear 35 meshes with gear 55. If then one wishes to drive forward, the knob end is drawn backwardly without transverse movement. In doing so the rail I3 and fork II move forwardly and gear 35 engages countershaft gear To step up to second speed, the knob end of the lever 9| is returned to neutral, rocked to the right and pushed forwardly. In doing this rail I3, fork .II and gear 33 are restored to their mid positions where gear 35 takes no part in the drive. The transverse movement of the lever causes lug Mlof the sliding latch to engage the lug associated with raillI and fork 33. The forward movement of the knob end causes a rearward movement of the fork 35. This slides the clutch sleeve 33 to the rear and locks gear II non-rotatably to the driven shaft whereby second speed is obtained; This action is made silently by means of the synchronizing device 19. By a rearward movement of the lever with no transverse movement through theconventional H slot, sleeve 33 is'clutched to the input shaft for normal high speed. Synchronizing device 3| ensures a silent engagement. To secure overgear through gears l9--59, the lever 9| is moved back to neutral, hand grip raised to lift lug I03 on sleeve |0| from rail- 61 and into engagement with lug 91 on rail I5. A rearward movement of the lever now effects no movement of rail 91 whereby clutch sleeve 33 remains idle. However. this movement does move the rail I5 forwardly and by means of fork II it clutches gear 59 to the output shaft whereby gear train 49-5I drives the output shaft faster than the input shaft. In this operation synchronizer 03 prevents clash. This is accomplished while retaining the conventional shifting movements. Substantially all the driver does in deciding to go to overgear instead of to normal high is to lift the'hand grip before he starts the forward movement of thelever. I

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show an arrangementhaving the same sequence of lever movements to obtain the usual three forward speeds and an overspeed ratio but designed for use with a modified transmission, one wherein the clutch for normal high is also engaged when driving in modified high.

In this embodiment the input shaft is marked 20I and the output shaft 203. An intermediate shaft is shown as formed of two parts 205 and 201 united by a coupling 209. The several shafts are inlalignm'ent, are piloted the one in the other and are supported on suitable bearings. Clutch sleeve 2|| is slidably splined on shaft 205 and if moved to the left may be clutched to the input shaft in the usual way for direct drive. If moved to the right it may serve to lock gear 2|3 to shaft 205. Second speed of shaft 205 may then be obtained from gear 2|5 on the input shaft through gear trains 2I5-2|I and 2I9-2I3, gears 2" and 2|9 being on countershaft 22I. Gear 223 is slidably splined to sleeve 2| and may engage gear 225 on the countershaft for low speed driving of shaft 205. For driving in reverse, it may be engaged with gear 221 of a double reverse idler, the other gear 229 of which is in constant mesh with gear 225.

Shaft 201 which is coupled to shaft 205 carries a loosely mounted gear 23| and a splined clutch 233, the clutch 233 normally directly engaged to clutch teeth on output shaft 203. This engagement causes shaft 203 to rotate jointly with 205 and 207 and when so engaged the transmission operates like the three speed mechanism of Fig. 1. To obtain the overdrive with this form of mechanism, the clutch 233 must be disconnected from the output shaft-233 and engaged with gear 2:.

A lay shaft 235 is formed with, two gears one,"

2 on the output shaft. It will be seen that to secure the overdrive through gear trains 23|--231 and 239-2 the'clutch 2 must be connected for direct drive, that is to say sleeve 2 must be in its left end position. n

This change from the arrangement of Fig. 1 makes necessary a change in the lever operating mechanism. Ball 243 and fork 245 control the reciprocation of gear 233 to make the shifts into low and reverse in a way which will be understood. Rail 241 and fork 249 serve to shift clutch sleeve 2 for second speed and normal high. Rail 25| and fork 253 serve to shift clutch 233.

Lever 255 carries a sleeve latch 251 positioned by a spring 25l and adapted to be raised by a rod 263 as in the case of the form first described. The end of lever 255 engages fork 245 to make low speed and reverse shifts. While sleeve 251 is down the lever may be rocked transversely and its lug 265 may engage fork 249 and reciprocate the same to make shifts into second speed and normal high. The rod 253 may be manually operated to cause lug 265 to engage a lug on rail 25i. When so engaged, it also engages the lug on fork 249. Longitudinal. movement then reciprocates both forks 249 and 253, the former to slide sleeve 2 to directly drive shaft 201 from shaft 20! and the latter to shift clutch 2 to drive output shaft 203 from shaft 201 through step-up ear trains 23 |-231 and 23924l. It will be apparent, therefore, that here as before the movements of the lever 255 to make shifts to and from low, reverse, second and normal high are the same as is now conventional in transmissions providing three forward speeds and one reverse speed... Also, that to get the overspeed ratio the shift is to neutral and then as before in the direction of normal high speed but with the latch sleeve 251 raised so that both forks 249 and 253 are moved simultaneously. In this form of the invention a stop 213 cooperates with a lug 215 to prevent the upward movement of the sleeve 251 except when its lug 265 is positioned for engagementwith the lug on rail 25l.

In some vehicles it is advisable to modify the conventional three-speed transmission by adding a sub-low ratio to give added power. The present invention contemplates equipping such a transmission with a lever and shift mechanism such that the shifts to and from reverse, low, second and high shall be made by the nowgenerally used movements of the lever and that the movement to modified low is made from neutral in the direction of normal.low subsequent to the lifting of a sleeve on the shift lever by a finger grip as in the shifts to overgear in the forms already described. Figs. 9, l and 11 illustrated such an embodiment of the inventive idea.

The transmission is essentially like that of Fig. 1, differing in providing a step-down additional ratio below normal low instead of a step-up above normal high. Input shaft 30! carries a gear 303 in constant mesh with countershaft gear 305. Driven shaft 301 is piloted in the end-of shaft 30! Slidably spllned on shaft 301 is a sleeve clutch 309, slidably splined on which is a low and reverse driven gear 3l I. Loosely mounted on shaft 301 is a second speed driven gear M3 in constant engagement with fixed countershaft gear 3H5. Idler shaft 3" has gears 3l9 and 32l. Gear 3" is constantly driven by countershaft gear 323.

locked from. rotation relative to shaft 301 by a forward movement of a clutch 329.

The operation to effect the several ratios will be obvious. A forward movement of clutch sleeve 309 causes the driven shaft 301 to rotate in unison with the input shaft. Rearward movement effects second speed because the clutch 309 locks gear 3l3 from rotation relative to the output shaft, the latter being driven through gear trains 303-305 and 3| --3l3. These shifts are made by fore and aft movements of the shift rail 33l by means of fork 333. Shifting into low and reverse is made by fore and aft movements of the lowest rail 335 and its fork 331. The operation is the same as described above and need not be repeated. Shift into modified low is made when the above mentioned parts 309 and 3 are in their neutral non-driving position. To obtain modified low, clutch 329 is shifted forwardly to lock gear 321 from rotation relative to shaft 301. This is accomplished by reciprocation of the upper rail 339 and its fork 3, which latter enages the clutch 329.

The modification of the parts associated with the shift lever 343 is shown by Fig. 10. The lever 343 carries a latch sleeve 345 normally held downwardly by a spring 341 but adapted to.be pulled up by a rod 343. When the sleeve 345 is down the lever may be rocked in the usual transverse direction for reverse and low shifts. A lug 35l on the sleeve 345 then engages rail 335 and fork 331. Fore and aft movements slide the gear ,3 for reverse and low speed. An opposite transverse movement of the lever 343 brings another sleeve lug 353 into operative relation with rail 33! and fork 333. Fore and aft movements of the lever then move the clutch sleeve to second speed and high speed positions. When the lever is in neutral and it is desired to shift into modifled low, the latch sleeve 345 is pulled up so that lug 35l is raised above its position for engagement with rail 335. Another lug 355 is brought into operative engagement with a lug 351 on rail 339 when the lever is rocked transversely in the same way as it is rocked for normal low. A stop screw 359 by engagement with a lug 360 prevents this upward movement when the lug 355 is out of position for engagement of parts 355 and 351. When engaged, a rearward movement of the knob end of the lever 343 pushes clutch 329 forwardly and the modified low is obtained. It is to be observed that it is obtained by the same lever movement as is used for normal low but with the latch sleeve raised. The movements of lever 343 for the three forward speeds and reverse are conventional and the modified low isobtained as for ordinary low but with a mere lift on the finger grip.

The transmission of-Fig. 12 bears to that of Fig. 9 somewhat the same relation as that of Fig; 6 does that of Fig. 1. In Fig. 6 the normal high is engaged along with the modified high instead of being engaged with the normal high out of operation as in Fig. 1. In Fig. 9 normal low is out of operation when modified low is engaged. In Fig. 12 modified low is engaged simultaneously with normal low.

Referring to Figs. 12 to 14, numeral 40| is' the input shaft, 403 is the intermediate shaft driven thereby and piloted thereto as shown. Beyond a shaft bearing 405 is a shaft 401 clamped as at Shaft 40! has splined thereto a clutch sleeve 4II,'

splined on which is a driven low speed and reverse gear 4". Countershaft 4|! has a gear 42l driven by gear 4, a gear 423 in constant mesh with idler 425,0f idler shaft 421 and adapted to be engaged by gear 4". It also has a gear 420 in constant mesh with gear 43! rotatably'mounted on shaft 408. Idler 421 has a second gear 43! to be engaged with gear 4" for reverse driving. Beyond bearing 4 is a gear 433 free on shaft 401 but in mesh withgear 435 on shaft 431. On shaft 431 is another gear 4" in constant mesh with gear I on output shaft 442. There are three slidable rails. Rail 445 carries with it fork 441 for sliding gear 4" to make shifts to and driven through gear trains 4i 3-42l and 420-43 l.

Rail 453 may be reciprocated to carry fork 455 and with it clutch 451, said clutch in its right end position serving to lock the output shaft to shaft 401 for direct drive therewith. In its other position-to the left-it clutches gear 433 from rotation relative to shaft 401, whereupon by reducing gear trains 433-43! and 43l- 44l the driven shaft is driven more slowly than shaft 401.

Since it is necessary that gear trains 428-435 and 439-4 may be operative while gear 4" is in mesh with gear 423, the following structure is provided for use with the shift lever 45!. A sleeve latch 4il slideson lever 459, being held downwardly by a spring 483. It may be lifted uplever is rocked transversely by moving the knob end toward the left. If the knob end is moved toward the right, a lug 461 on latch 46! may engage the second and high speed rail and fork assembly and fore and aft movements of the lever makes the conventional shifts to second speed and high speed. It will be seen from Fig. 13'that sleeve 4H has another lug 46! adapted to engage a lug 4" on rail 453 simultaneously with the engagement of the lower end of the lever with rail 445 provided the sleeve is drawn up by the rod 465 against the resistance of spring 463. When the sleeve is so raised and the lever shifted transversely to its low speed position, a rearward movement at the knob end of the lever moves clutch 4l1 forwardly to lock gear 433 to shaft 441 simultaneously with the shifting of gear 411 forwardly to engage gear 423. It will therefore be seen that the conventional lever movements produce the usual shift changes and that when shifting as to low a modifledlow is obtained by merely lifting the latch prior to shifting from neutral. Accidental movements of the sleeve when lug 489 is not in a position to engagejlug 41! are prevented by stop 413 in the housing 415,

In this form of the invention it may be desired to house the supplemental gearing involving gear trains 423-;435 and 439-4 within the housing for the wheel shaft. diflerential. Fig. 15 is added to show how this modification may be carried out. Numeral 415 shows a housing for the wheel shaft differential and pinion drive. It is to be assumed that the modified low gear trains are assembled therein together with the equivalent of clutch 451. The latter is to be operated by a suitable fork carried by a shaft 411 projecting from the housing. A shaft arm 419 is then connected by a rod 4 to an arm 483 extending from the end of a lengthened equivalent 4 of the rail 4". It will be seen that the operation of the mechanism is precisely the same as that described in connection with Fig. 12. It will be equally obvious that in the modified high of Fig. 6, the same change may be made and the over- 1gear mechanism housed in the differential cas- Other developments -and mino'r mechanical changes may be made in the installation of devices in accordance with the above description.

I claim:

In transmission mechanism, input and output shafts, gearing to drive said output shaft from said input shaft at a plurality of driving ratios, at least three reciprocable'me'inbers for activating said gearing to produce said ratios, each of two of said reciprocating members having two positions of adjustment to effect two driving ratios through said gearing, said third reciprocating member being movable to a position wherein a fifth driving ratio is obtained through said gear ing, a shift lever projecting between said reciprocable members in such a way that two of said reciprocable members are on one side of the end of said lever, said two members being vertically spaced and means carried by said lever whereby the one or the other of said spaced members may he operably engaged by the lever when transversely shifted, whereby at least five driving ratios may be obtained from said gearing by two transverse positions of said lever.

PERRY L. 'I'ENNEY. 

